Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were paid the same salary for their work on Wicked.
“Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder. The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked,” a Universal spokesperson said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday. Multiple sources familiar with the situation also told THR that the actresses were paid the same for their work on the movie musical from director Jon M. Chu.
Unsubstantiated rumors about Erivo and Grande’s salary surfaced this week on TikTok and Reddit, with social media users claiming Grande made $15 million for the film while Erivo earned $1 million. Multiple news outlets picked up the social media commentary, only adding to the firestorm.
Originally based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked tells the untold story of the witches of Oz, with Erivo as Elphaba and Grande as Glinda. Winnie Holzman, the stage production’s book writer, wrote the screenplay for Chu’s movie with Dana Fox. Academy Award-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz adapted the musical for the screen. Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, and Bowen Yang also star in the feature.
Wicked continues to dominate at the box office, earning a record-breaking $15 million on Monday, besting Frozen 2‘s $12.7 million haul in 2019. Before this, the film made over $160 million in its opening weekend, globally.
The second Wicked installment is due out November 21, 2025.
English (US) ·